Automatic mail-loader.



T. REEVES. AUTOMATIC MAIL LOADER.

AYPLIUA'LION FILED NOV. 4, 1910.

1,003,294. Patented Sept. 12,1911;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

V COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON, D. C,

T. REEVES.

AUTOMATIC MAIL LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED 11011.4, 1910.'

1,003,294, 1 Patented Spt. 12,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANooRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. C.

T. REEVES.

AUTOMATIC MAIL LOADER. APPLIOATION FILED 11017.4, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TIMOTHY REEVES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC MAIL-LOADER.

aooaeeal Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Application filed November 4, 1910. Serial No. 590,704.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY REEVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mail- Loaders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a railway mail bag collecting and delivering apparatus and has for its object to provide a device for delivering at predetermined points a mail bag from a moving train, and also has for its object to provide a device for collecting at predetermined points a mail bag while the train is in motion.

Devices for collecting and delivering mail bags by moving trains are old and well known and this invention therefore does not consist in a device for accomplishing this purpose broadly, but it does consist in the novel arrangement of the parts and in certain combinations which will be hereinafter described and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ the train pipe and the air pressure by means of which the air brakes are operated in order to collect and deliver the mail bags, and I employ an obstacle operated device for automatically bringing into service the train pipe in a manner which will be hereinafter fully described.

This invention therefore consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts connecting the train pipe with the collecting and delivery apparatus in such manner that the mail bags are collected and delivcred automatically through the medium of the obstacle operated mechanism.

The invention further consists in the novel construction of the devices for carrying and supporting the mail bags which are to be collected and delivered; and the invention further consists in the novel construction for holding and releasing the mail bags to be collected and delivered; and the invention further consists in the novel 0bstacle operated mechanism and in the detailed construction of the several parts all of which will be first fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating a fragmentary view of a railway car and showing the mail bag collecting and delivery apparatus in operative position. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mail bag collecting device. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the stationary arms which supports and holds a mail bag to be collected. Fig. t is an elevation of one of the posts and arms supporting a mail bag to be collected. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating one of the posts and supporting arms and the sack or receptacle in which the mailbag is delivered from the moving train. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the holding and releasing mechanism for the mail bags. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the obstacle opera-ted valve arranged in the train pipe line, and Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating the valve open and in position for operating the collection and delivery apparatus.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several figures in which;

1 indicates a railway mail car which may be of any design or construction and which as usual is provided with one or more side doors or entrances 2 and 3 through which the mail bags are collected and delivered on and from the car. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, 2 indicates the door or opening through which the mail bags are delivered from the car, and 3 indicates the door or opening through which the bags are collected.

Arranged at predetermined points along the track are the posts 4 and 5, the post 4 receiving the mail bag delivered from the car, while the post 5 holds and supports the mail bags to be collected by the car. In each instance a substantially horizontal arm 6 is pivoted to the top of each post'and a supporting arm or brace 7 also pivoted to the posts at the point 8 normally holds the cross arms 6 in positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5. The ends of each of the arms 6 are provided with a counter-poise 9 arranged in such manner that as soon as the mail bag or the sack or receptacle is released from the opposite end of the cross bar 6 the counter-poise 9 will raise the bar 6 into position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5 in such manner that they will be out of the path of the collecting and delivery apparatus on the mail car.

On the inner end of the cross bar 6 on the post 5 is a permanently arranged hook 10 more clearly shown in Fig. 3, and a movable hook 11 having a depending arm 12. A spiral spring 13 is also provided on the arm 6 and is connected to the movable hook 11, the tension of said spring 13 being such as to normally hold the hook 11 in the same relative position to the hook 10 as is shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The mail bag 14 to be collected by the car is provided with a suitable loop 15 which is grasped by the movable hook 11 and rests between the movable hook 11 and the stationary hook 10 as shown in Fig. 1, the spiral spring 13 being of sufficient tension to securely hold the mail bag 14 in this position.

Referring now to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the post 4 carries the sack or receptacle into which the mail bags are delivthe same arrangement is maintained on the ered from the car and that a goose neck element 16 is provided on the inner endof the cross bar 6 and the receiving sack or receptacle 17 is securely connected to able manner or form as shown in Fig. 5, the receiving sack or receptacle 17 being provided with a large mouth or opening 18 to receive the mail sack from the moving car, the sack 18 being suspended at a height which corresponds exactly to the height of the mail bag in the moving car so that the said mail bag will be received in the mouth 18 of the sack or receptacle 17 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the automatic receiving and delivery apparatus on a car reference is made to Fig. 2 in which 19 indicates the train pipe having two branches 20 and 21, the branch 20 leading to the cylinder 22 and the branch 21 leading to the cylinder 23. The valve 24 illustrated: in Figs. 7 and 8 is arranged. in the branches 20- and 21 as shown in Fig. 2. Arranged along the side of the track at predetermined points and in proper relation to the receiving and delivery posts 4 and 5 are the obstacles 25 and 26;, said obstacles being arranged on both sides of the track as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and might be said to be arranged in pairs staggered in relation to each other as clearly shown in Fig. 2'; that is tosay the obstacle 26 is out of line with the obstacle- 25 while opposite side of the-track. Depending from the body of the car 1 are the operating rods 27and 28, the rod: 28 having its lower portion bent as shown in Fig.- 2 in such mannerthat it will engage its obstacle 26- but the obstacle 251 will be out of' the path of movement of the arm 26 but will be directly in the path of movement of the arm 27 as is at once apparent and as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the arms 27 and 28 is pivoted at 29 at a point intermediate the ends thereof 31 being provided with a coil spring 32 for jnormally seating the valve 33 in the valve seat- 34.

Referring particularly to the valve 24 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 it will be seen that the same comprises two chambers 35 and 36 and it will be seen that an exhaust port or opening 37 is arranged in the bottom of the chamber 35. Arranged on the Valve stem 31 is a projection 38 which normally un-- covers the exhaust port or opening 37 when the valve 33 is seated but which closes said exhaust port or opening 37 when the valve 3 33 is open as shown in Fig. 8. The chamber 35 of all of the valves 24 is connected directly to the cylinders 22 and 23 while the chamber 36 of all of the valves is connected .to the train pipe 19 through the medium of :the branch pipes 20 and 21.

the said goose neck element 16 in any suitj Operating within each of the cylinders 22 and 23 is a piston 39 to which a piston rod 40 is connected, and as each pair of cylinders 22 and 23 are arranged in the same relative position as is shown in Fig. 2 the piston rod 40 of each piston 22 and 23 is connected to the operating lever arm 41 as shown in Fig. 2, said operating lever arm 41 being fulcrumed at 42 and is connected at its upper end at 43' to a transversely slidable arm 45, said transversely slidable arm 45 beingpreferably T-shaped in cross section and operating in suitable guides 46 as clearly to collect a mail bag 14 aboard the car 1. To

accomplish this a sack or receptacle 17 is arranged 011 the goose neck 16 of the cross arm 6 on the post 4 and the mail bag 14 is connected in the hooks 10 and 11- on the cross bar 6 of the post 5, it being desired to collect the mail bag 14 aboard the car I and to deliver the mail bag 14' into the sack or receptacle 17 on the post 4. It will be supposed that the car 1 is moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1'. The obstacle engaging arm 28 which is the for- -ward one on the car passes the obstacle 25 and engages the obstacle 26. This engagement causes the arm 28 to be thrown into an oblique position as shown in Fig. 8 which depresses the valve stem 31 and opens the valve 33. This instantly allows the pressure within the train pipe 19 to enter the cylinder 23 causing the piston 39 to move into position shown in Fig. 2 which moves the lever arm 41 and carries the transversely slidable arm 45 into position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and as the sack or receptacle 17 is secured to the outer end of the transversely movable arm 45 said sack or receptacle is carried outwardly in such manner that the mail bag 14 will be directly in the path of movement of the sack or receptacle 17 as shown in Fig. 1. The sack or receptacle 17 being in this position the outer end of the transversely movable arm 45 strikes the depending arm 12 of the movable hook 11 throwing the same into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and causes the bag 14 to be released from the hooks 10 and 11 and to be collected within the sack or rece tacle 17. WVhen the bag 14 is thus collecte within the sack or receptacle 17 the obstacle engaging arm 28 on the opposite side of the car engages the obstacle 26 on the opposite side of the track which operates the valve 24 leading to the cylinder 22 which causes its piston 39 to be moved upwardly, thus moving the lever arm 41 and the transversely movable arm 45 into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 which movement causes the sack or receptacle 17 and the bag 14 collected thereln to be thrown within the car and in position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The above description has reference to the collecting apparatus, while the delivering apparatus is being simultaneously operated in the following manner: The obstacle engaging arm 27 engaging the obstacle 25 which operates its valve 33 causes the transversely slidable arm 45 to be moved outwardly precisely in the same position as that illustrated in Fig. 2, but as a mail bag 14 is connected to the hooks 10 and 11 on the outer end of the transversely movable arm 45 and as a sack or receptacle 17 is arranged on the post 4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 said receptacle 17 is directly in the path of movement of the mail bag 14, and the depending arm 12 of the movable hook 11 strikes the goose neck 16 on the cross arm 6 supporting the sack or receptacle 17, thus releasing the mail bag 14 and causes it to be received within the mouth 18 of the sack or receptacle 17. The obstacle engaging arm 27 on the opposite side of the car engages the obstacle 25 on the opposite end of the car, thus opening the valve 33 leading to the cylinder 22 which operates its piston and draws the transversely slidable arm 45 back into normal position within the car.

As soon as the mail bag has been released from the cross arm 6 on the stationary post 5 the counter-poise 9 on the arm 6 raises said arm into position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 5 in such manner that it cannot be further engaged by the mechanism on the car.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for delivering and receiving mail pouches to and from a moving railway car comprising means for receiving a mail pouch from a moving car, means for holding a mail pouch to be received by a moving car, means arranged in a car for receiving a mail pouch and for holding a mail pouch to be delivered from the car including an endwise movable member operated from the car and carrying said mail pouch receiving means, mechanism associated with and operated by the air pressure in the train pipe of a car for actuating said mail pouch holding and receiving mechanism on a car, and obstacle operated mechanism for operating the train pipe mechanism, substantially as described.

2. A device for loading and unloading mail pouches on and off a moving car comprising means for receiving a mail pouch from a car and means for holding a mail pouch to be delivered to a car, means arranged on a car for holding and receiving a mail pouch, including an endwise movable member operated from the car and carrying said mail pouch receiving means, mechanism operated by the pressure in a train pipe of a car for actuating said mail pouch holding and receiving means on a car, and obstacle operated mechanism for actuating said train pipe mechanism.

3. A device of the character described applied to a railway car comprising an endwise movable member carrying a pouch-receiving means, means operated from the train-pipe pressure including pistons, means of connection between said pistons and means of connection between said endwise movable member and the first referred to means of con nection.

4. A device of the character described as applied to railway cars comprising an endwise movable member carrying a pouch-receiving means, means operated from the train pipe pressure including pistons, valves for controlling the pressure to said pistons and means connected to the rods of the pistons for actuating said endwise movable member.

5. A device of the character described applied to a railway car comprising an endwise movable member carrying pouch-receiving means, means operated from the train-pipe pressure including pistons and valves, said valves arranged in pipes leading from the train-pipe and controlling the pressure to the pistons, a lever intermediate the rods of the pistons-and connected thereto and to the endvvise movable member.

6'. A device of the character described applied to a railway car comprising an end- 1 Wise movable member carrying pouch-receivmg means, means operated from the trainpipe pressure including pistons, a lever connected to said endWise movable member and actuatedfrom the rods of said pistons, valves adapted to control the pressure to said pistons, and obstacle engaged rods- :Eor actuat-- ing said valves.

' 7. A device of the character described applied to a car, comprising an en-dWise movable member carrying pouch-receiving means, means operated from the train pipe pressure including pistons, a lever connected to said endwise movable member and actuated from the rod connection between the pistons, valves adapted to control the presadapted to actuate said valves, and a tripping means for the discharge of the pouch adapted to be actuated by said endwise movable member.

8. A device of the character described applied to a railway car comprising an endwise lmovablev member carrying pouch-receiving "means, means operated from the train pipe 5 pressure including pistons, a lever connected ;to said endwise movable member and the frod-connection between said pistons, valves adapted to control the pressure to said pistons, a eounterpoised member for supportfing a pouch suspending means opposed to ithe outer end of said endwise movable imember.

In testimony whereof,- I afli-X my signa- Eture, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

I TIMOTHY REEVES.

Witnesses:

D.- MILLA-RD,

GEQL, (1, HILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fi've' cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0. 

